Appraisal for psychiatrists

The
principle of appraisal as a developmental (formative) tool to
support doctors in doing their jobs better has become well
established within the NHS as well as in independent practice.

According to the Chief Medical Officer for England,
Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, a good appraisal can create the
opportunity to agree service and quality improvement goals, but
perhaps more importantly, it is the ‘main vehicle for personal
growth and professional development’ (Donaldson, 2006).

Until now, doctors in training have fulfilled
many of the requirements of a good appraisal through their
supervision and assessment processes. However, they too have
to ‘formalise’ these through a regular appraisal process. In
this module, we look at how this can be done in terms of
preparation, necessary tools and scheduling.

We also look at the requisite skills for the
appraisal process and what appraisers and appraisees need to know
for a continuous and smooth appraisal process to be
established.

Please note: This module
was last updated in 2012. A new module on appraisal and
revalidation is being worked on and will replace this one when
complete. In the meantime, please be aware when completing the
module that some of the guidance may have changed.